Fear of Crime and Insecurity

Against a background of increased public debate about insecurity and research interest in fear of crime, this article explores and reflects upon recent developments within Anglo-American literature and research. It explores what public perceptions of insecurity and fear of crime are taken to mean, how we measure insecurity and interpret research findings, and considers the value of such measurements. It assesses the limitations of traditional ways of conceptualising and measuring fear of crime and highlights the complexities associated with interpreting public perceptions of contemporary insecurities. In doing so, it reflects upon recent advances in understanding the experience and expression of fear of crime. It goes on to explore the consequences and implications of fear of crime and insecurity, its measurement and conceptualisation, for criminological policy debates in the UK and on the conceptual linkages in the nexus between disorder fear and crime. It concludes by raising a number of questions prompted by the research overview for comparative analysis.